title: Food insecurity, socioeconomic status, and HIV-related risk behavior among women in farming households in Tanzania.
abstract: Food insecurity (FI) is associated with higher-risk sexual behavior in some studies. However, the overlap between FI and socioeconomic status (SES) has been poorly described. The study objectives were to: (1) determine the relationship between household FI and four dimensions of SES among sexually active Tanzanian women in farming households: expenditures, assets, flooring material of the home, and land ownership; and (2) determine whether FI is associated with higher-risk sexual behavior and relationship power. In male-headed households, FI was associated with assets, flooring material, and land ownership but not expenditures. There was no association between FI and the four dimensions of SES in female-headed households. Among women in male-headed households, but not female household heads themselves, severe FI was associated with a non-significant increase in the likelihood of being in a relationship because of material goods [adjusted prevalence ratio (PRa) = 1.76, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.81, 3.81] and was inversely associated with being able to ask partners to use condoms (PRa = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.25, 0.88). There was not a strong association between food security and relationship power. Our findings suggest that the association between FI and HIV risk behavior may differ depending on the type of household.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, 1918 University Avenue, Suite 3B, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA, smccoy@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ralph
authors.forename: Prosper F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Njau
authors.forename: Mbette Mshindo
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Msolla
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Padian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology